The present invention relates to a defective product inspection apparatus (probe apparatus), a probe positioning method and a probe moving method, for measuring an electric characteristic of a microscopic area of an electronic element.
A defective product inspection apparatus is well known as the prior art, in which a probe contacts an area of a specimen (an electronic element) at which an electric characteristic needs to be inspected. An electric current-voltage characteristic or the like of the electronic element can be measured through the probe.
JP-A-9-326425 discloses that a probe is arranged in a specimen chamber of a scanning electron microscope (SEM) to measure a minute electric potential characteristic.
JP-A-2000-147070 discloses a probe apparatus in which a probe information image showing an information for operating desirably a probe is formed on a display, a specimen and the probe are shown in the probe information image on the display, a probe operating image area for moving the probe is formed on the display, the probe is moved through a probe controller in accordance with an operating signal from the probe operating image area, and a movement amount from an actual current position of a front end of the probe to a target position thereof is calculated by designating each of the actual current position of the front and of the probe and the target position of the front and of the probe on the probe information image so that the probe controller operates in accordance with the movement amount to move the probe to the target position.
JP-A-2000-181898 discloses a probe apparatus including a charged particle beam projection device, a specimen stage for holding a specimen holder with a specimen thereon, a specimen chamber containing the specimen stage, a probe driving mechanism for moving the probe to contact the specimen in the specimen chamber, a specimen antechamber including a first stocker connected through a valve to the specimen chamber to store temporarily the specimen holder, and a first transfer device for moving the specimen holder at least between the specimen antechamber and the specimen chamber.
JP-A-2002-523784 discloses that an optical microscope slides on a microscope bridge to move to a position on a wafer chuck, and is rotated to a position for preventing from standing in the way of enabling the probe to firstly be positioned in an area of the specimen to which an user's attention is drawn.